The present invention relates generally to personal identification or verification systems and, more particularly, to systems that automatically verify a person's identity before granting access to a vehicle. Traditionally, keys and locks, or combination locks, have been used to limit access to property, on the theory that only persons with a right to access the property will have the required key or combination. This traditional approach is, of course, still widely used to limit access to a variety of enclosed spaces, including automobiles.
Many automobiles are protected both by locks and by intrusion alarms, which are typically activated and deactivated using a small radio or infrared transmitter carried by the car owner as a key-chain fob. Although this type of device is convenient, its loss by the owner may render the vehicle just as vulnerable to theft as if mechanical keys had been used for protection.
Access to automobiles poses some special problems that have not been addressed by presently available security systems. Although fobs are widely used to transmit signals to a car security system, for door access and to activate and deactivate intrusion alarms, once in the car a car owner or user must typically resort to a mechanical key to start the car. Moreover, selection of customized features of the car, such as seat and mirror adjustments, must be made manually, although some cars include a mechanism for memorizing settings of the some of the vehicle's main features.
Accordingly, there is a widely felt need for a more reliable technique for accessing and using automobiles. Ideally, the technique should positively verify the identity of the person seeking access, should provide access to all the car's features, and should eliminate the need to carry multiple keys and fobs, or to memorize combinations or passwords. Another desirable goal is that the technique should operate rapidly enough that it does not significantly delay a person's access to and use of the vehicle. The present invention satisfies all of these needs.